Bucket wheel bulk material handling apparatus



March 7, 1967 c. LUDWIG I 3,307,717

BUCKET WHEEL BULK MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Original Filed April 13,1964 7 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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BUCKET WHEEL BULK MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Original Filed April 13,1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 7, 1967 c. LUDWIG 3,307,717

BUCKET WHEEL BULK MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS 1 Original Filed April 15,1964 7 Sheets-Sheet a I NVENTOR.

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March 7, 1967 c. LUDWIG 3,307,717

BUCKET WHEEL BULK MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS 7 Original Filed April 13,1964 4 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 II a I n I n J INVENTOR.

BY M M W" March 7, 1967 c. LUDWIG 3,307,717

BUCKET WHEEL BULK MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Original Filed April 15.1964 A 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 I05 INVENTOR.

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March 7, 1967 c. LUDWIG 3,307,717

BUCKET WHEEL BULK MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Original Filed April 13,1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 llllll INVENTOR.

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March 7, 1967 c. LUDWIG 3,307,717

BUCKET WHEEL BULK MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Original Filed April 13,1964 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOR.

BY M X United States Patent Ofilice 3,307,717 Patented Mar.'7, 1967 Thisapplication is a continuation of application Serial No. 359,340, filedApril 13, 1964, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a rotary bucket wheel device for handling bulkmaterial, and more particularly to an improved rotary bucket wheelunloader used in a barge unloading system.

A barge unloading station comprises inshore and offshore towers whichare cross connected into a common framework. This framework providessupport and guid ance for an elevating, counterbalanced, bridge spanningthe barge berth between the towers.

The movable bridge supports a bucket wheel reclaiming unit and agathering conveyor that discharges on to a conveying system for storage,or discharge into overland transporting vehicles or trains.

The barge, to be unloaded, is brought under the bridge between thetowers and tied into a haulage system, which brings the barge intounloading position. The counterbalanced bridge structure is then lowereduntil the bucket wheel touches the bulk material to be unloaded. Thebucket wheel operates longitudinally from end-to-end or transverselyacross the barge, side-to-side or a combination of these motionsunloading the bulk material. The material is scooped up by the rotatingbuckets and dropped onto the gathering conveyor, which discharges ontothe elevating conveyor connected to the landward conveying system. f

The present unloaders have their bucket wheels concentric with themovable supporting bridge. Their conveyors are also supported withinthis bridge. To support these loads the bridge must be heavilyconstructed. To be concentric with such heavy framework necessitates theuse of an enormous bucket wheel. By suspending the bucket wheel beneaththe supporting bridge a much smaller wheel may be used. This wheel ismore maneuverable and rotates faster, thus speeding up the unloadofsmaller components is extremely important. Further-' more, by usingsmaller bucket wheels there is more room below the supporting bridge,and an operators station may be suspended along with the wheels, givingthe operator greater control over the unloading operation.

Briefly stated this invention is a barge unloading system for unloadingbulk material from a barge. This system has a plurality of towersoffshore and inshore, which define an unloading station.

These towers are i cross connected into a common framework to form agantry type structure. This structure provides support and guidance foran elevating, counterbalanced supporting bridge that spans the bargeberths between the towers. A bucket wheel reclaiming unit is suspendedbelow the bridge from a trolley assembly which is movable along thebridge. A compound bucket wheel reclaiming unit comprising a pluralityof bucket wheels having their buckets overlapping, and having itstransverse section equal to the transverse section of the barge may alsobe Using the latter method suspended from the bridge. speeds up theunloading operation and does not necessitate any transverse movement ofthe bucket wheel reclaiming unit along the bridge. The bridge alsosupports a gathering conveyor that runs through the wheel and dischargesonto an elevating conveyor connected to a landward conveyor system. Thisstation also has a haulage system to which the barges are tied. Thissystem permits the barges to be held in an unloading position within thegantry type structure. This system also permits the barge to be pulledthrough the station as it is being unloaded.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then, consists of'the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, the following description andannexedas it appears in the plane indicated by the line 2 2 in? FIG. 3. I

FIG. 3 is a top view of the barge unloading station" as it appears inthe plane indicated by the line 3--3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the barge unloading station as it appears inthe plane indicated by the line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a bucket wheel as it appearsin the plane indicated by the line 5-5 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the bucket wheel unloaderof FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the bucket showingthe means to rotate said bucket, the idler guide wheels, and the moldboard.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the bucket of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of a cornp-ound bucketwheel.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of the com' pound bucket wheelas it appears in the plane indicated by the line 10-10 in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged top view of a floating barge clamp and pier.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1 of the annexed drawings, there isshown a barge unloading station generally indicated at 5, formed by aplurality of inshore and offshore caissons, for example, the caissons 6,7, 8, 9, and 11. Secured to a plurality of these caissons, for example,caissons 6, 7, 8 and 9, is a pier generally indicated at 12. Secured tothe pier 12 are a plurality of sheaves for example, sheaves 13 and 14 towhich guide wires are attached from similar sheaves on a barge forexample, the sheaves 15, 16 and 17 on the barge generally indicated at18. These sheaves and wires comprise a haulage system used to bringthebarge into unloading position Within the unloading station. Extendingfrom the c-aissons 7, 8, 1t and 11 are conveniently trussed towers 19,20, 21 and 22, respectively. The towers are cross connected by rigidframes, for example, the tower 19 is cross connected to adjacent tower20, and tower 21 is cross connected to adjacent tower 22 by similarframes 24 and 23, respectively, to form rigid frames or bents. These twobents or frames are then cross connected by a larger but similarlytrussed frame 39 to form a gantry type frame structuregenerallyindicated at 25. This gantry type structure 25 may also bec'omposed of a plurality of caisson type towers, for example, thecaisson towers 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 as seen in FIG. 3.These caisson type towers are similarly cross connected bytrussedframes39, 4t}, and 41 to form a gantry type structure.

The gantry 25 supports and guides an elevating, counterbalanced bridgegenerally indicated at 42, which spans the barge berth between the towercaissons 7, 8, It and 11. Bridge 42 may extend in cantilevered mannerbeyond towers 7, 8, 10 and 11. Supported on a trackway Within the bridge42 is a trolley assembly generally indicated at 43 as best seen in FIG.4. Aifixed to the trolley assembly 43, suspended below the bridge 42, isa bucket wheel reclaiming unit generally indicated at 44, FIG. 1. Anoperators station generally indicated at is also supported by the bridge42. The operators station may be affixed to the bucket wheel reclaimingunit 44 as in this embodiment of the invention, or separately suspendedfrom a separate trolley assembly within the bridge 42. The operatorsstation 5% is suspended below the bridge to give the operator bettervisibility and hence better control over the unloading operation. Thesupporting bridge 42 is raised or lowered by conventionally designedcable, drum and motor means, for example, the motor means 51 aflixedatop the gantry 25. Ali moving apparatus is automatically controlledfrom the operators station 50. The bridge 42 is counterbalanced byweights attached to the bridge, and hung from the towers through aseries of pulleys, for example, the weights 52 and 53 as seen in FIGS. 2and 4. j These counterweights facilitate the raising and lowering of thebridge 42. Located within the suspended bucket wheel unit 44 is agathering conveyor generally indicated at 54, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4.This conveyor 54 may be relatively short, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 4,carrying bulk material received from the bucket wheel to an elevatingconveyor 55 aflixed to the bucket wheel unit 44 as seen in FIG. 1. Thebulk material is then carried by the elevating conveyor 55 to a landwardconveying system generally indicated at 56, as best seen in FIG. 1, orthe gathering conveyor 54 may be relatively long extending beyond thetransverse span of the barge berth between the caissons as seen in FIG.2. The bucket wheel unit 44, as it moves transversely along the bridge42 unloading the barge spills bulk material onto the gathering conveyor54, which carries the material to the side and dumps it on a similarelevating conveyor 57 not affixed to the bucket wheel as seen in FIGS. 2and 3. The gathering conveyor 54 when used in this manner is supportedat its extremities by lire bridge 42, and intermediately supportedwithin the bucket wheel unit 44. Whichever conveyor method is moresuitable to the unloading operation may be employed.

Gil

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the bridge 42 supports a longitudinallycoextending trolley supporting trackway, including the rails 58 and 59secured to each side of the bridge 42. Transversely moving along thebridge 42, on this trackway is the trolley assembly 43. The trolleyassembly 43 includes a platform or frame, generally indicated at 60,composed of conventionally trussed members. A pair of axles such as axle61 are rotatably affixed to the frame adjacent its front and backextremities, each axle having at its extremities trolley wheels to rideon the rails of said trackway, for example trolley wheels 62 and 63 onaxle 61 ride on rails 59 and 58, respectively. At each of saidextremities of the trolley frame 60, adjacent the rail 59 is a thrustroller, for example thrust rollers 64 and 65, which lie in a horizontalplane and are adapted to rotatably and compres'sively engage the side ofthe adjacent rail 59. The lateral force or thrust caused bythe rotatingbucket wheel, generally indicated at 66, has a tendency to derail thetrolley assembly 43 from the supporting trackway. Thrust wheels 64 andd5 transmit any horizontal thrust force to the rail 59 affixed to thebridge 43, where such thrust force is absorbed. Secured at either sideof and coextensive with the bridge 42, in parallel spaced relation tothe trolley supporting trackway but oppositely disposed are the1ongitudinal upper drive rails 67 and 68, forming a drive wheeltrackway, which is adapted to coact with a plurality of drive wheelsmounted on the trolley assembly 43, for example, the drive wheels 69 and7t) on shaft 71 which is rotatably secured atop the trolley assembly 43.A drive wheel coacts with each of said trolley wheels of the trolleyassembly 43, and the fixed drive rails of the drive wheel trackway. Thedrive wheels drive the trolley assembly 43 along the bridge 42. Thedrive wheels are rotated by a conventionally geared motor driven meansindicated at 72. The motor 72 is aihxed atop the trolley frame 66 of thetrolley assembly 43. The bucket wheel 66 is rotatably mounted on andwithin a bucket wheel supporting frame or carriage, generally indicatedat 73, which is suspended below the bridge 42. The carriage 73 includesa plurality of vertically trussed supporting members, for example,members 74 and 75 which are aflixed to the trolley assembly 43. Securedto said supporting members adjacent the lower extremity of the bridge 42are a plurality of guide wheels, for example, the guide wheels 76 and77, which are mounted on the vertical members 74 and 75, respectively.These guide wheels lie in a vertical plane and are adapted to coact witha guide trackway having its rails parallel but oppositely disposed tothe rails of the supporting trackway. The rails of said guide trackwayare secured to the lower extremity or marginal edges of the bridge 42,for example, the guide Wheels 76 and 77 are adapted to coact with theguide rails 78 and 79 respectively of the guide trackway which isaffixed to the lower extremity of the bridge .42. The guide Wheels 76and 77 attached to the bucket wheel frame 73, coact with the oppositelydisposed trolley Wheels 62 and as of the trolley assembly 43, to holdthe trolley assembly 43 securely within the bridge 42 as the bucketwheel rotates.

As was previously stated the bucket wheel supporting frame or carriage73 is suspended from the trolley assembly 43 by a plurality of verticalmembers. These membersare braced by angularly trussed members, forexample, members 86 and 87. Rotatably secured to the bucket wheelsupporting frame 73 are a plurality of conveyor support wheels, forexample, the support wheels 88 and 89 on which a gathering conveyorgenerally indicated at 54 is slidably supported. The gathering conveyor54 is located within the bucket wheel 66 and is adapted to receive theunloaded material spilling from the bucket wheel 66, and to convey it toother conveying means. The gathering conveyor 54 may be made of standardconveyor parts, and has a sloped side wall configuration which is bestsuited for this gathering operation. As seen in FIG. 6 the gatheringconveyor 54 comprises a horizontal conveyor section 90' having upwardlyand outwardly extending conveyor sections 91 and 92. The sloped sections91 and 92 keep the material within the conveyor. In this embodiment ofthe invention the operators station 50 is also afiixed to the bucketwheel supporting frame 73. The bucket wheel 66 is rotatably secured andconcentric with the bucket wheel supporting frame assembly 73. Extendingbelow and integral with the bucket wheel supporting frame assembly 73 isan inverted A-frame assembly 95. Rotatably affixed to the distalextremity of this A-frame 95 is a pair of idler wheels 96 and 97. Theseidler wheels 96 and 97 are adapted to coact with the guide rails 98 and99, respectively, which are aflixed to the inner periphery of the bucketwheel 66. A plurality of pairs of similar idler wheels, for example, theidler wheels indicated at 100 are similarly adapted to coact with theguide rails. The idler wheels are rotatably secured to the bucket wheelsupport frame or carriage 73in such circumferential spaced relation asto keep the bucket wheel 66 rotating about a predetermined center.

The bucket wheel 66 is formed by a .pair of annular rings or rims 101and 102 in fixed parallel spaced relationship. A plurality of buckets,for example the buckets 103, 104 and 105 are pivotally secured tobrackets on the outer periphery of the annular rims 101 and 102, forexample, the buckets 103, 104 and 105 are pivotally secured to thebrackets 106, 107 and 108. Located on the outer surface of the rims 101and 102 are a plurality of outstanding circumferentially spaced drivepins, for example drive pins 109 and 110 as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7.These drive pins are adapted to coact with standard motor driven gears,for example, the drive gears 111 and 112 coact with the drive pins 109and 110, respectively, to rotate the bucket wheel 66. A motor 113 ofconventionally designed parts affixed to the bucket wheel supportingframe 73 rotates a pulley 114 contain ing a plurality of belts 115 whichdrive a drive pulley secured to the shaft of a reducer 116. The reducer116, either my hydraulic or mechanical means, reduces the number ofrotations required to a drive shaft 117 to which the drive gears 111 and112 are secured or keyed. It should be noted that in this embodiment ofthe invention a pair of idler wheels 118 and 119 similar to the idlerwheels 96 and 100 are keyed to the drive shaft 117 adjacent the drivegears 111 and ,112 as best seen inFIG. 7.

As previously indicated the buckets are pivotally secured to the bucketwheel 66; however, this pivotal movement is restricted by a pair ofU-shaped guide brackets 120 and 121 which are affixed to the sides ofeach bucket, and are adapted to coact with extending peripheral edges122 and 123 of each ofthe rims 101 and 102, respectively. This pivotalmovement provides better scraping action of each individual bucketagainst the bottom sur-- face of a barge. It also provides for verticalmovement of each bucket in case bumps or obstructions on the bottomsurface of said barge are encountered. Also provided in each bucket toeliminate stoppage of the rotary wheel caused by obstructions such asoverlapping barge plates, is a bulbed scooping edge adapted to overridesuch obstacles; for example, the bulbed scooping edge 135 of bucket 105as seen in FIGS. 7.and 8. Further, the bridge 42 is so counterbalancedas to absorb vertical surges of the rotating wheel occasioned whenobstacles are encountered. Secured at either side of the A-frameassembly'95 of the bucket wheel supporting frame adjacent the idlerwheels 96 and 97 and protruding beyond the rims 101 and 102 are a pairof limit switches 124 and 125, respectively. These switches coact withthe sides of a barge to limit the transverse motion of the bucket wheel66. In this way the bucket wheel 66 is kept from contacting and possiblydamaging the sidesof the barge.

An annular ring or mold board 126 disposed between the annular rims 101and 102, is aflixed to the bucket wheel frame 73. The mold board 126coacts with the back scrape plate of each bucket, for example, scrapeplate 127 of bucket as seen in FIG. 7 coacts with the mold board 126 asthe material is lifted and spilled onto the gathering conveyor 54. Anexample of this mold board is best seen in the dotted drawing of FIG. 9.The mold board 126 coacts with similar scrape plates of each individualbucket from a point adjacent the lowest inner circumferential surface ofsaid bucket wheel or from the first point of bucket scooping action to apoint adjacent the gathering conveyor 54, or to the rst point of bucketspilling action. The bulk material to be unloaded is held Within eachbucket as it is being rotated to the spilling point by the scrape platecoacting with the mold board. The material is held against the moldboard until it spills onto the gathering conveyor 54. In the embodimentof the invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a plurality of pairs of moldboard idler wheels, for example, pairs of idler wheels indicated at 128,129 and 130 (FIG. 6) are rotatably secured to and circumferentiallyspaced along the curved mold board 126. These mold board idler wheelscoact with the guide rails afiixed to the rims 101 and 102; for example,in FIG. 7 the idler wheels 130 and 131 coact with the guide rails 98 and99. Any lateral swaying movement of the bucket as it rotates will becompensated for by similar lateral swaying movement of the mold board126 produced by the coaction of the rails 98 and 99 with the mold boardidler wheels. The mold board is reinforced by outstanding rib sectionsand 141. In the embodiment of the bucket wheel in FIGS. 7 and 8, aspring 132, secured at its extremities to the inner bucket scoopingsurface 133 and the bucket wheel 66 is used to keep the bucket in afully extended position, for example, the bucket 105 in the positionindicated at 134 as seen in FIG. 8.

The embodiment of the bucket wheel shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is a compoundbucket wheel composed of a plurality of individual bucket wheels similarto the bucket wheel 66, for example, bucket wheels 142, 143, 144 and145. This compound bucket wheel has an axial dimension slightly smallerthan the width of the hold of a conventionally designed barge 18. Thebuckets as seen in the dotted portion of FIG. 10 overlap in width toproduce a clean unloading action. In the particular embodiment of theinvention the gathering conveyor 54 is suspended within the bucket wheel146. This conveyor can be fixed within the compound bucket wheel member146 since traversing the cross section of the barge 18 is not necessaryas in the case of using a single bucket wheel. The motor driven meansgenerally indicated at 147, and used to rotate the compound bucket wheel14-6 is similar to the motor driven means used to rotate the bucketwheel 66 is seen in FIG. 5. The motor driven rotating mean-s 147 islocated adjacent the compound bucket wheel 146 and is afiixed to thebucket wheel frame assembly generally indicated at 148. It should beunderstood that a pair of similar synchronized rotating means could beaffixed adjacent each side of the compound bucket wheel 146.

A plurality of spaced idler wheels affixed to the supporting frameassembly 148 are adapted to keep the compound bucket wheel 146 rotatingabout a fixed axis. These idler wheels are adapted to rotate on theguide rails 149 and 150 which are aiiixed to the inner periphery of thebucket wheels outer annular rims 151 and 152, respectively. In theembodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 9 the bucket wheel frame 148has at each of its extremities outstanding frame portions, for example,frame portions 153, 154 and 155, each of said frame portions havingidler wheels rotatably secured at their distal extremities to coact withthe guide rails on the inner periphery of the annular rims 151 and 152.The lowest extending frame portion 153 has a single idler wheel 156rotatably secured at its distal extremity. The remaining oppositelydisposed and outwardly extending frames 154 and 155 each have pairs ofidler wheels rotatably and pivotally secured at their distalextremities, for example, the idler wheels 157 and 153 are rotatablysecured between the extremities of a pair of similar link arms 159 whichare pivotally secured at the distal extremity of the frame 155intermediate the link arm extremities. A drive gear 159 similar to thedrive gears 111 and 112, and similarly secured to the motor drivenrotating means, is adapted to coact with similar outstandingcircumferentially spaced pins (not shown) on the outer annular rims 151and 152, to rotate the compound bucket wheel 146, in the same mannerthat the single bucket wheel is rotated.

A preferred embodiment of the pier is shown in FIG. 11. This embodimentof the pier is in the form of a floating pier 160 which is guided by andfloats between offshore towers 311 and 32, and 33 and 34, respectively(FIGS. 2 and 11). As the tide rises and falls, the floating pier 16dcorrespondingly raises or lowers. The use of a floating pier facilitatessecuring the barges into the haulage system as a fixed positioningrelationship between the pier and barge is maintained. A conventionallydesigned motor driven haulage unit indicated at 161 may be mounted onthe floating pier 160.

Also shown in FIG. 11 is a floating barge clamp generally indicated at165. The barge clamp 165 is guided and floats between the inshore towers(FIGS. 2 and 11) 7 and 33, and 35 and 36, respectively. As the barge 18is raised or lowered by the changing tides, so too is the floating bargeclamp 165 correspondingly raised or lowered. The barge 18 to be unloadedis secured into the haulage system and brought into unloading positionadjacent the towers 32. and 34. A plurality of vertical bumper blocks,e.g. blocks 166, 167, 168, and 169 are secured to the towers 32 and 34adjacent the barge 13. These bumper blocks, made of wood or hard rubber,protect the adjacent towers from being damaged by the barge 18. Thebarge clamp 16:3 is extended to the position shown in PEG. ll, clampingthe barge 18 against the bumper block protected towers 32 and 34. Aplurality of bumpers are also secured along the marginal edge 17d of thebarge clamp 165 adjacent the barge 18. In this embodiment of the bargeclamp 165, a plurality of rubber tires, e.g. tires 171, 172, 173 and174, are secured along the marginal edge 170. The retracted or unclampedposition of the barge clamp 165 is indicated in the broken line drawingof FIG. ll. Flange portions at each side of the barge clamp 165 alongthe front marginal edge 17% abut adjacent towers to keep the clamp 165from being retracted beyond its retracted or unclamped position; forexample, flange portions 1% and 131 of the clamp 165 abut towers 35 and38, respectively.

Acylinder supporting rod 175 is secured between towers 35 and 37.Rotatably secure-d to rod 175 adjacent towers 36 and 37, respectively,are hydraulic cylinders 176 and 177, whose movable piston extensions1'78 and 179, respectively, are secured to the barge clamp 165 adjacentits marginal edge 17%. These hydraulically operated pistons are adaptedto move the barge clamp 165 into and out of clamping position againstthe barge 18. The hydraulically operated pistons within the cylinders176 and 1'77, when in an extended locked position are adapted tocompensate for movement of the barge clamp 165 caused by chan ing tides.A conventionally designed tractor indicated at 132, is kept atop thebarge clamp 65 to clear the surface of any built material or debriswhich might spill from the barge or the rotary bucket wheel assemblyduring operation.

Thus, an improved structure for unloading barges is provided bysuspending the bucket wheel reclaiming unit below the bridge as shownand described. The weight of the various components has been drasticallyreduced,

thus providing a highly improved and economical rotary bucket wheelbarge unloader.

What is claimed is:

1. In a system for transferring bulk material from one predeterminedlocation to another including:

(a) tower means defining an unloading station;

(b) bridge means spanning said unloading station and supported by saidtower means;

(c) a driven rotary bucket wheel unloader adapted to engage andtransport bulk material;

(d) means for receiving and conveying bulk material from the unloader tosaid other predetermined location; and

(e) a carriage movably supported on said bridge means for transversemovement therealong and coacting therewith to support said rotary bucketwheel unloader on said carriage for rotation on an axis which lies in aplane passing through the bridge and having the same predeterminedrelationship to the longitudinal axis of the bridge in all positions ofoperation of said rotary bucket wheel, and in spaced independentrelation from said bridge means, the longitudinal axis of said bridgelying wholly outside the path described by the buckets during rotationthereof, for operative intersection with and transport of the bulkmaterial.

2. A system for transferring bulk material from one predeterminedlocation to another in accordance with claim 1 wherein the axis ofrotation of said rotary bucket wheel is parallel to the longitudinalaxis of the bridge.

3. A system for transferring bulk material from one predeterminedlocation to another in accordance with claim 1 additionally including:

(f) means for raising and lowering said carriage relative to said towermeans.

4. A system for transferring bulk material from one predeterminedlocation to another in accordance with claim 1 wherein said tower meansincludes:

(a) a first tower and a second tower in spaced relalation to each otherdefining an unloading station therebetween.

5. A system for transferring bulk material from one predeterminedlocation to another in accordance with claim 4 wherein said bridge issupported for vertical movement along said first and second towers, andwherein said system additionally includes:

(f) means for raising and lowering said bridge.

6. A system for transferring bulk material from one predeterminedlocation to another in accordance with claim 5 which additionallyincludes:

(g) a container for said bulk material having side walls; and

(h) clamping irneans coacting between at least one of said towers andsaid bulk material container to urge the container into abuttingrelation with the other of said towers to prevent lateral movement ofsaid bulk material container.

'7. A system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said clamping means areadjustable to varying bulk material container widths.

h. A system for transferring bulk material from one predeterminedlocation to another in accordance with claim 4 additionally including:

(f) means for raising and lowering said carriage relative to saidtowers.

9. A system for transferring bulk material from one predeterminedlocation to another in accordance with claim 1 in which ((1) the meansfor receiving and conveying bulk material, includes a conveyor mountedon the carriage and extending transversely to the axis of the bucketwheel.

10. A system for transferring bulk material from one predeterminedlocation to another .in accordance with claim 1 in which (d) the meansfor receiving and conveying bulk material includes a conveyor supportedby the carriage and extending through the bucket wheel parallel to itsaxis of rotation.

11. A system for transferring bulk material from one predeterminedlocation to another in accordance With claim 1 wherein said bucket wheelun'loa'der has an inner periphery defining a central opening and whereinsaid carriage includes a depending frame having a plurality of rollersspaced circumferentially about the inner periphery of said bucket wheelunloader within said central opening, and driven means carried by theframe for d-rivingly engaging said bucket Wheel unloader.

12. A system for transferring bulk material from one predeterminedlocation to another in accordance With claim 10 which includes a moldboard stationarily supported on said frame and including means coactingwith the bucket wheel unloader to maintain the mold board inpredetermined relation between the respective sides of the bucket wheelto prevent damage thereto when the bucket wheel tends to shift laterallyin response to disorienting influences in the material being unloaded.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,062,392 1 1/1962 Eppand 214-4 3,104,766 9/1963 Sasadi 214-4 3,225,943 12/ 1965Sasadi 214-"10 References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS3,069,027 12/1962 Dischinger. 3,224,604 12/1965 Adler et a1.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

R. G. SHERIDAN, Assistant Examiner.

Disclaimer 3,307 ,717 .-0am'l Ludwig, Cleveland, Ohio BUCKET WHEEL BULKMATE- RIAL HANDLING APPARATUS. Patent dated Mar. 7, 1969. Disclaimerfiled Mar. 19, 1969, by the assignee, MoDowell-Wellman Engi'neem'ngOompcmy.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9 of saidpatent.

[Ofii'cz'al Gazette July 8, 1.969.]

1. IN A SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING BULK MATERIAL FROM ONE PREDETERMINEDLOCATION TO ANOTHER INCLUDING: (A) TOWER MEANS DEFINING AN UNLOADINGSTATION; (B) BRIDGE MEANS SPANNING SAID UNLOADING STATION AND SUPPORTEDBY SAID TOWER MEANS; (C) A DRIVEN ROTARY BUCKET WHEEL UNLOADER ADAPTEDTO ENGAGE AND TRANSPORT BULK MATERIAL; (D) MEANS FOR RECEIVING ANDCONVEYING BULK MATERIAL FROM THE UNLOADER TO SAID OTHER PREDETERMINEDLOCATION; AND (E) A CARRIAGE MOVABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID BRIDGE MEANS FORTRANSVERSE MOVEMENT THEREALONG AND COACTING THEREWITH TO SUPPORT SAIDROTARY BUCKET WHEEL UNLOADER ON SAID CARRIAGE FOR ROTATION ON AN AXISWHICH LIES IN A PLANE PASSING THROUGH THE BRIDGE AND HAVING THE SAMEPREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIP TO THE LONGI-